This invention relates to the field of golf clubs used as putters.
There are of course numerous different kinds of putters known to the prior art. All golfers are attempting to find the ultimate putter. Representative samples of prior art putters which have attempted to overcome the various problems in putting include those disclosed in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,974 which discloses a putter having a translucent head and opacified sides to help align the striking face of the putter with the ball and the intended path toward the cup; U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,172 discloses a putter alignment lines marked thereon to help the golfer line up with the cup; U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,554 discloses a putter for putting in a modified croquet style; U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,357 discloses a putter head having means to center it with respect to the ball; U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,733 discloses a putter in which the shaft is connected forward of the center of gravity of the head so when it strikes the ball the putter head does not tend to slant but hits the ball square with the plane of the striking surface perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the ball; U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,987 discloses a golf club putter in which the center line of the shaft is in coaxial alignment with the striking face of the putter head; U.S. Pat. No. 2,843,384 discloses a putter head which has a sloping bottom or sole which slants upwardly from the striking surface to the rear of the putter head to prevent the putter head from being dragged over the ground while stroking the ball and thus prevent interference with the forward swinging of the club head.
Some of the putters disclosed in the foregoing patents and in the prior art do not appear to meet all of the requirements and rules of the U.S. Golf Association. Others would be difficult and awkward to use with one hand, which is a desirable way of putting since the golfer does not have to worry about the other hand taking over which can cause the club head to skew as it strikes the ball. It eliminates the problems of remembering the correct position for the hands gripping the club, correct position for arms, elbows and shoulders since by using only one hand the wrist action becomes more mechanical and straightforward enabling the golfer to strike the ball at closer to a perpendicular line relative to the horizontal axis of the ball, or in other words to strike the ball "square on," in the direction of the intended pathway to the cup. The putter in accordance with the present invention is well adapted to be used with only one hand.
The putter in accordance with the present invention comprises a club head having a striking surface which is substantially parallel to the axis of the club shaft, and is connected to the shaft at its midpoint or centerline. While the sole of the club head is at an acute angle of about 80 degrees or less to the axis of the shaft, it terminates at an intermediate point between the heel and the toe of the club head starting from the back of the heel leaving an upwardly sloping bottom surface from the termination point of the sole to the outermost and upper portion of the toe of the club head. This configuration enables the golfer to hold and swing the shaft of the club in a plane that is perpendicular to the ground, and in which plane the intended path of travel lies for the ball to follow on its way to the cup. When the club is held perpendicular to the ground in this way, the sole of the club head is at an acute angle to the surface of the ground as is the sloping surface of the lower edge of the club head which extends from the termination of the sole upwardly toward the outermost and upper portion of the toe. The portion of the striking surface of the club head which strikes the ball when the club shaft is held and swung perpendicular to the ground as described is the midpoint of the striking surface. Since the striking surface of the putter head is substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft, at the moment of impact the axis of the putter shaft and the striking surface of the putter head are both straight up and down or vertical whereby the ball is struck by the striking surface of the putter head at a right angle to the horizontal axis of the ball.
Putting with the putter in accordance with this invention using only one hand enables a pendulum like motion, one movement back and forth whereby the golfer can keep sight of three important aspects of putting, (1) moving the putter straight back with the striking surface of the club head positioned square with the ball, (2) only moving his eyes from the ball to the cup, and (3) sighting the spot selected for the ball to roll through on the path selected for travel to the cup. The golfer can readily take a practice free arm swing to see instantly if the striking surface of the putter head is on target, and when it is he can strike the ball without any pushes or pulls. With the putter in accordance with the present invention, the golfer has the feel of the ball because his hand is right where the impact is, the shaft being aligned with the midpoint of the club head and the ball being struck at the midpoint of the striking surface or face of the club.